Cognitive gains in science content linked to single zoo visits are well evidenced; zoos are unique educational settings. Not only do they foster learning about the natural world, but they also help young people to connect with wildlife (Jensen, 2014; Pearson et al., 2014). Even out-of-classroom experiences of short duration can evoke strong emotional outcomes for students (DeWitt and Storksdieck, 2008). In the programme described in this article the authors were keen to investigate whether a deeper and broader range of cognitive, social and emotional outcomes was achievable for students over multiple visits to a zoo. The scheme of work for this programme was collaboratively developed between the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) learning staff, primary school teachers from the London boroughs of Haringey and Tower Hamlets, and academic researchers. Together they devised a programme for 165 participating year 4 (age 8-9) students to take place over a seven-week period. The overarching topic chosen for the learning programme focused on "identification and classification."